Toning Images: Texture in the Old Churchyard

There's a question goes along with this one, apart from the usual - What do you think!

That is - What are your views on toning images? Where do you sit on the scale from:
a) They are wonderful artistic additions in the right place at the right time
to
b) Stop playing about with gimmicks and start trying to be a proper photographer.

Re: Toning Images: Texture in the Old Churchyard

Hi Donald - As far as the toning of this image is concerned it appears to my eyes to be fine and probably adds to the feel. In terms of composition, I might have been tempted to take the shot from a low angle, slightly further away and to the right so that the gate pillar was more on a third. I can't tell from the image as seen whether or not it requires some sharpening or local contrast enhancement - probably it does.

Regarding the wider question you pose, I see nothing intrinsically wrong with toning. After all B/W is a tone as is any other monochrome. It is up to the individual photographer and/or image processor to decide what he/she feels is correct. There may well be rules of thumb about when to use toning and what tones are appropriate, but experimentation and creativity are essentials in modern photography. So go for it and see what happens.

Now I've thought more about it, I suppose one rule of thumb might be that with B/W and toned images, you will need to rely more on form, shape, texture and so on to create high impact images.

Re: Toning Images: Texture in the Old Churchyard

Donald,
I like the picture, and I think the tone is quite fine. For me, though, the wall is a little too bright. I think this treatment deserves a darker approach. Perhaps David is right, and more contrast is what I'm missing?

Your question is an interesting one. Does the photographer capture the scene in full scientific detail, to let the viewer see what the viewer wants? Does the photographer modify the capture to highlight a particular element, to direct the viewer's attention? Or perhaps the photographer is providing a purely artistic interpretation, and fidelity to reality is not important? All 3 approaches are valid, depending on the photographer's intent.

Regardless, your wonderful picture has given me fresh ideas for my own work. I think that defines success--inspiring others to imitate. Thanks for that.

Re: Toning Images: Texture in the Old Churchyard

Just a suggestion but my eyes see the light sepia toning and expect vignetting too, maybe just a little and nothing too severe. I like toned stuff, sometimes it's the more appropriate choice. Ofcourse sometimes people use b&w or other monochrome in a scene where colour would have been the better choice.

I think artistically it has value and people cannot argue with it since all photographs have some subjective/artistic direction involved, right down to where to point the camera. I know sometimes "purists" complain but I think they'd complain no matter what and same misunderstanding to do with raw files are bad because they need to be post processed etc etc or any darkroom technique on negatives is not proper.

Saying that as well as artistic choice it can be technically necessary as sometimes it is needed to pull focus away from backgrounds and toward subject, reducing business and so on. For instance taking a portrait of someone at an event where you cannot change the background but the backdrop from all the best angles is a rainbow of colour then it might be useful for none artistic purposes.

Re: Toning Images: Texture in the Old Churchyard

This image has character and I like it a lot.
I agree with two comments in particular.. the finer angle to move the main post a bit more off centre and I, too, find the brickwork somewhat bright.
I would try to clone out the distracting sign(?) hanging inside the gate.
All that said, it's still a good image!

Re: Toning Images: Texture in the Old Churchyard

also if the gate is the right colour you could make it stand out easily by filtering that colour out when turning from colour to b&w (oversaturing that channel if need be before hand), and then apply colour wash. The image would be the same except the gate much much darker and in the shadows where as being primarily midtone range against midtone background it loses a lot of contrast.

Re: Toning Images: Texture in the Old Churchyard

Thank you one and all for such constructive comments, none of which I take issue with. Just another example of climbing further up the learning curve.
I would be away out just now to re-shoot .... if it wasn't raining so hard.

Re: Toning Images: Texture in the Old Churchyard

I used to be more of a "realist" thinking my goal should be to represent what I see before me as accurately as possible. But I've come to realize that just by the way I frame a photo, I am distorting reality, and that often times colors don't come out exactly as they appear before my eyes. So I'm coming around to creating images that please me rather than images that stiffly portray "truth."